planets

Meet the Planets, a spring 2012 release from Sylvan Dell Publishing, has just received a Learning Magazine Teachers’ Choice Award for the Family!

Teachers’ Choice Awards have been a part of Learning Magazine since 1994. Since that time, the program has grown to become one of the most recognized and prestigious awards in the educational market. The Teachers’ Choice Awards for the Family is the only awards program that requires panelists to be both teachers and parents. The winners will receive a spotlight in the magazine’s Children’s Book Award section, as well as a seal distinguishing them as a Children’s Books winner.

John McGranaghan has always been fascinated by outer space and he shares that fascination in a humorous and educational way through Meet the Planetsand Saturn for My Birthday. John has also written stories and articles for Boys’ Quest Magazine, Pockets Magazine, Columbia Magazine, and local newspapers. He is winner of the 2001 Pockets Fiction Contest. When John isn’t writing, he enjoys sports and spending time with his wife and two boys. John is a school counselor in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Klein has been a freelance artist for nearly 20 years. Over the last several years, she has worked as the on-staff artist for a marine park, where she does everything from painting life-size sea animal murals, to illustrating children’s activity books. In addition to the Furs and Feathers, Klein also illustrated Meet the Planets, Where Should Turtle Be?, Little Skink’s Tail, andIf a Dolphin Were a Fish for Sylvan Dell Publishing. Her other books include The Out to Pasture series, authored by Effie Wilder. This is the second Teachers’ Choice Award this year for Laurie. She previously won the Teachers’ Choice Award for the Classroom for Fur and Feathers in October.

Soar into the Solar System to witness the first Favorite Planet Competition, emceed by none other than the former-ninth planet, now known as dwarf planet Pluto. The readers become the judges after the sun can’t pick a favorite and the meteors leave for a shower. Who will the lucky winning planet be? Could it be speedy-messenger Mercury, light-on-his-feet Saturn, or smoking-hot Venus? Readers learn all about each planet as Pluto announces them with short, tongue-in-cheek facts. Children will spend hours searching the art in Meet the Planets for all the references to famous scientists and people of history, space technology, constellations, art, and classic literature.

This past weekend was the Orionid Meteor Shower. Did anyone get a chance to look at the night sky in the early early hours of the morning? Although these Orionids, which appear from the Orion constellation, are rather modest, they do have a claim to fame that makes any star gazer ready to spot them: they are a product of Halley’s comet! As Halley’s comet orbits the sun, it has left behind dust that was liberated from the comet when it was warmed by its close passage to the sun. In turn, the Orionid meteor shower that we are able to see is the result of the Earth passing through this trail of depris deposited by the comet. Did you know that these sand-grain size pebbles from Halley’s debris stream race through the sky at speeds of more than 90,000 miles an hour? That’s 145,000 kilometers! At speeds as high as this, when the debris reaches Earth’s atmosphere, streaks of light are created. For us here on Earth, this is a beautiful sight.

To peak your child’s interest, teach them more about the solar system and planets with our beautifully illustrated books, “Meet the Planets,” and “Saturn for My Birthday,” by John McGranaghan.

Soar through the solar system with “Meet the Planets,” and witness the first Favorite Planet Competition. Who will be the lucky winning planet? Readers learn all about each planet as Pluto (the former ninth planet, now known as dwarf planet Pluto) introduces them with short, tongue-in-cheek facts. Children (of all ages) will spend hours searching the art for all the references to famous scientists and people of history, space technology, constellations, art, and classic literature.

In “Saturn for My Birthday,” young Jeffrey wants Saturn for his birthday, and he wants the moons too…all 47 of them! But he’s not selfish, he’ll share some of the rings with his friends and teacher at school. Facts about Saturn are woven seamlessly throughout this wonderful picture book. Through a funny story, Jeffrey explains just what he will do with his present and how he will take care of it.

September 23rd, three days from now, will be the Autumnal Equinox! Sit down with your child and take the chance to teach them something they may not know. What better way to teach kids about this spectacular occurace that only comes twice a year? They can observe and learn at the same time! Check out our books, “Count Down to Fall,” and “Meet the Planets” to get your child interested in the changing of seasons and the world of the stars. Through “Count Down to Fall,” by Fran Hawk, children can watch the vibrant falling of leaves all around and capture the majesty of the maple, the oak, the linden, and more! Through “Meet the Planets,” by John McGranaghan, children can soar into the solar system and learn about the planets. And those of you suffering from a mild case of nostalgia, don’t worry, it doesn’t forget to include our former ninth planet, Pluto!

By visiting our website, you will also have access to numerous arts and crafts ideas as well as interractive quizzes for kids with budding creative minds. Corresponding to this particular time of year, we have provided some free activities for you to enjoy with your child. Children can learn the identification of stems, roots, and seeds as well as their fuctions and purposes. Who knows, you may even find something new to learn that you didn’t know!

Not only do we have the changing of the seasons occuring around us as we speak, but look out! September 28th is coming soon. This day has been dubbed Read a Child a Book You Like Day. Go ahead and visit your local library to check out one of your favorite books from your childhood! This way your child will get to know a little piece of something you enjoyed at their age.

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